Fitted hanger for garments



A. L. WHITE FITTED HANGER FOR GARMENTS Feb. 26, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 2, 1954 m w m w.

Feb. 26, 1957 A. L. WHITE 2,782,968

FITTED HANGER FOR GARMENTS Filed Dec. 2.1954 -2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

AMANDA L1; um M115 United States This invention relates to garment hangers. More particularly, the invention has reference to a hanger that is novelly designed in such a way as to properly support the shoulder portions of garments, particularly ladies dresses and coats, with said garments being so supported as to prevent sagging, wrinkling, and other undesirable result often encountered when conventional garment hangers are used.

One important object of the present invention is to provide a garment hanger so designed at each of its opposite ends as to afford a conventionally fiat, slightly upwardly convexed shoulder support surface, which surface will be of the approximate outer configuration of a shoulder pad of a dress or other garment, thus to lie flat under the full area of said shoulder pad and properly support the same upon the hanger.

Another object of importance is to so design the garment hanger as to permit the above desirable feature to be incorporated therein with little or no increase in the cost required for a conventional garment hanger, particularly those of the molded plastic type.

Yet another object is to provide a garment hanger which will be readily fashioned from molded plastic or similar material, with the garment hanger having a back member which will be of greater thickness than the front member, so that said back member in effect constitutes a main or body portion on the hanger that rigidifies the hanger and strengthens the same substantially from end to end thereof.

Yet another object is to provide, in a garment hanger, a construction wherein front and rear back members are both longitudinally curved, with the back member being curved to a lesser degree than the front member, and being slightly longer, whereby the respective arms of the garment hanger have outer side edges that diverge in a direction away fromthe midlength point of the hanger, said arms further being curved longitudinally in another direction so as to cause the hanger to be upwardly bowed at its midlength point.

Another object is to so design the hanger that the greater length of the back member as compared to the front member will dispose the opposite ends of substantially oval shoulder support plates at locations such that lines drawn transversely of the hanger through the ends of the shoulder support plates will be disposed in convergent relation. In this way, the hanger will be so shaped as to conform to the interior contour of the garment at the shoulder portion thereof, said garment to have a size marked thereupon, thus to permit the hanger to be manufactured in different sizes, with the individual purchaser choosing that size which most nearly approximates his or her garment sizes. Since the width across the back of the garment depends not only upon the size of the particular person, but also upon the nature of the garment, the hanger purchased by the individual can be adjustable within predetermined limits, to support various types of a 2,782,968 Ice Patented Feb. 26,

garments all to be worn by the same individual, such as dresses, coats, etc.

Yet another object is to provide, in another form of the invention, means for adjusting each shoulder support plate about an axis extending transversely of the hanger, whereby to permit location of the shoulder support plates in selected planes, found particularly advantageous in respect to the proper support of a garment.

Another object of importance is to provide, in association with the means supporting the shoulder support plate for rockable movement, locking means interengaging between the shoulder support plates and the associated arms of the hanger, which last-named means will be especially adapted to cooperate with the inherent springiness of the arms in holding the shoulder support plates in selected positions to which they are rocked about said axes.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a garment hanger formed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, still further enlarged, on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary top plan view of a modified form of hanger showing one end thereof.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially on line 66 of Fig. 5, the dotted lines showing positions to which the hanger arms can be springably spread apart.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view, on an enlarged scale, substantially on line 77 of Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view on line 8-8 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a shoulder support plate forming part of the modified form of hanger.

The hanger shown in Figs. 1-4 has been designated generally at 10, and except for its support hook, is formed of a single piece of molded plastic.

The hanger includes a back member 12 and a front member 14. The back member 12, as best shown in Fig. 4, is of oblong cross section, while the member 14 is of circular cross section, the member 14 being substantially smaller in cross sectional area than the member 12. The relative thickening of the member 12 is designed to constitute said member as a main or body portion in the device, which will substantially strengthen the device from end to end thereof and will be adapted for support of the remaining parts of the garment hanger.

At the midlength point of the hanger the members 12, 14 are integrally connected by a web 16 (Figs. 1 and 3). At this point, the members 12, 14 are closest together. The space between the members progressively increases, however, a distance away from the midlentgh point of the hanger toward the opposite ends thereof thus to cause the hanger arms, that is, those portions of the hanger at opposite sides of the midlength point, to be progressively increased in width in the direction of the outer ends of the arms. The members 12, 14, as will be noted from Fig. l, are curved longitudinally from end to end thereof, with the curvature of the member 14 being slightly more pronounced than that of the member 12. The curvature seen in Fig. 1 is in a lateral direction. The members 12, 14 are also curved in a vertical direction, as

3 shown in Fig. 2, so as to cause the hanger to be upwardly bowed at its midlength portion, the respective ends of the hanger being disposed in a common horizontal plane offset downwardly to a slight extent from the highest portion of the hanger body.

Formed in the web 16 is a centrally located opening 18, and extending through said opening is the shank of a suspending hook 20, the lower end of which is formed with a collar underlying the web, thus to swivellymount the hook upon the hanger body.

At its opposite ends, the hanger body is formed with shoulder support plates 22 oval in shape, the opposite ends of the plates 22 being integrally connected to the opposite ends of the back and front members 12, 14, respectively. Due to the fact that the front member ldis slightly shorter than the back member 12, the longitudinal center lines of the shoulder support plates 22, designated at a-a in Fig. 1, converge.

This particular shape has been found especially desirable for properly supporting a garment such as a ladys dress. The curvature of the hanger arms both in a horizontal direction and a vertical direction properly supports the shoulder portion of the dress in a manner which will prevent wrinkling thereof or other undesirable results often experienced when conventional hangers are used. Further, the shoulder support plates 22 are so disposed as to underlie substantial portions of the areas of the shoulder pads of a conventional dress, as a result of which said shoulder pads are properly supported upon the hanger, rather than tilting oif the hanger to one side or the other, or being disposed beyond the hanger ends. When the shoulder pads are supported in either of the ways just mentioned, they exert an undesirably heavy pull upon the shoulder part of the garment, tending to tear the same. Further, apart from the strain exerted by the shoulder pads under these circumstances, the garment is often wrinkled or caused to become misshapened at the shoulders thereof.

It is important to note that the outer edges of the shoulder support plates 22 are curved from end to end thereof, and merge smoothly into the outer side edges of the back and front members 12, 14 thus to eliminate any undesirably sharp projections that might affect the proper hanging of the garment.

In Figs. 5-9 a modified form includes back and front'members 12 14 which are identical to the members 12, 14 of the first form, in respect to their longitudinal curvature in vertical and horizontal directions and in respect to the relative thickness and cross-sectional shape of the same. For this reason, only one end of the hanger 10 has been shown, it being understood that the other end will be identical to that illustrated, while the midlength portion will be identical to that shown in the firstform.

In the modified form of hanger, the shoulder support plate has been designated 22*, and is movably mounted between members 12 14 The plate is substantially elliptical or oblong in shape, with rounded inner and outer side edges, as in the first form of the invention. The shoulder support plate 22 is formed with trunnions 24 on its opposite ends, the ends being flattened. The trunnions 24 are engageable in inwardly facing openings 26, 23 formed ,in the correspondingly flattened inner surfaces of the members 12 14.

As will be noted, the trunnions 24 are aligned transversely of the hanger, so as to provide a pivot axis for the shoulder support plate 22*. Further, the trunnions 24 are offsetlaterally from the longitudinal center line of the shoulder support plate 22 the trunnions 24 being disposed at opposite-ends of the curved inner side-edge of the shoulder support plate.

Formedin the flattened inner surfaces of the members 12 14 are radially extending teeth 32, 34 respectively, said teeth radiating from; the openings 26, 28. The flatd tened opposite end surfaces of the shoulder support plate 22 have similar radial teeth 36.

By reason of this arrangement, one is permitted to spread the arms 12 14 apart to a slight extent, so as to cause the teeth 36 to be disengaged from the teeth 32, 34. The shoulder plate 22 may now be grasped and swung about the axis of the trunnions 24 to a selected position of pivotal adjustment relative to the members 12 14 Thereafter, the members 12 14 are released, and since they are inherently springy, immediately spring back into engagement with the opposite end surfaces of the shoulder support plate, thus to cause the teeth 32, 34 to interengage once again with the teeth 36 to hold the shoulder support plate in the new position of adjustment.

An important characteristic of the modified form resides in the length of the trunnions 24, as compared to the depth of the teeth 32, 34. This can be noted from Fig. 3. Due to this arrangement, when the arms 12 14 are spread slightly apart, the ends of the trunnions will still be in the openings or recesses 26, 28 so as to preserve the pivotal connection between the shoulder support plate and the back and front members 12 14*. However, the teeth 32, 34 will be clear of the teeth 36 to permit rocking movement of the shoulder support plate. Should the members 12 14 be spread apart manually to even a greater extent, ultimately the trunnions will be shifted completely out of the recesses 26, 28, thus to permit complete removal of the shoulder support plate. This would permit substitution of a new shouldersupport plate which may have a slightly different shape, or alternatively, one is enabled to permit the members 12 14 to spring toward one another substantially into longitudinally contactingrelation, for packing of the hanger in a small area, such as in an overnight bag or suitcase.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it'is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise construction herein disclosed and the right is reservedto all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A garment hanger comprising a slotted, elongated body progressively widened in a direction from its midlength point toward its respective ends, oblong-shaped shoulder. support plates movably mounted on the body forming generally fiat surfaces extending transversely of the body at its ends, and a suspension hook extending upwardly from the midlength point of the body, said shoulder support plates including trunnions on opposite ends thereof, said body including resilient back and front members having inwardly facing openings receiving said trunnions, said members being tensioned to springinwardly toward one another so as to releasably engage the trunnions, said trunnions being adapted to mount the shoulder support plates for tiltable adjustment about an axes extending transversely of the hanger at the ends thereof.

2. A garment hanger comprising a slotted, elongated body progressively widened in a direction from its midlength point toward its respective ends, oblong-shaped shoulder support plates movably mounted on the body runnions being adapted to mount the'shoulder support plates for tiltable adjustment about axes extending transversely of the hanger at the ends thereof, said members and shoulder support plates including interlocking means for engaging the shoulder support plates in selected positions to which they are tiltably adjusted.

3. A garment hanger comprising a slotted, elongated body progressively widened in a direction from its midlength point toward its respective ends, oblong-shaped shoulder support plates movably mounted on the body forming generally flat surfaces extending transversely of the body at its ends, and a suspension hook extending upwardly from the midlength point of the body, said shoulder support plates including trunnions on opposite ends thereof, said body including resilient back and front members having inwardly facing openings receiving said trunnions, said members being tensioned to spring inwardly toward one another so as to releasably engage the trunnions, said trunnions being adapted to mount the shoulder support plates for tiltable adjustment about axes extending transversely of the hanger at the ends thereof, said members and shoulder support plates including interlocking means for engaging the shoulder support plates in selected positions to which they are t-iltably adjusted, said interlocking means comprising radial teeth formed upon the opposite ends of the shoulder support plates, and complementary radial teeth formed upon the plate-engaging surfaces of the members, the teeth of the plates and members radiating from said trunnions and openings respectively.

4. A garment hanger comprising a slotted, elongated body progressively widened in a direction from its midlength point toward its respective ends, oblong-shaped shoulder support plates movably mounted on the body forming generally flat surfaces extending transversely of the body at its ends, and a suspension hook extending upwardly from the midlength point of the body, said shoulder supportplates including trunnions on opposite ends thereof, said body including resilient back and front members having inwardly facing openings receiving said trunnion-s, said members being tensioned to spring inwardly toward one another so as to releasably engage the trunnions, said trunnions being adapted to mount the shoulder support plates for tiltable adjustment about axes extending transversely of the hanger at the ends thereof, said members and shoulder support plates including interlocking means for engaging the shoulder support plates in selected positions to which they are tiltably adjusted, said interlocking means comprising radial teeth formed upon the opposite ends of the shoulder support plates, and complementary radial teeth formed upon the plate-engaging surfaces of the members, the teeth of the plates and members radiating from said trunnions and openings respectively, said trunnions being greater in length than the depth of the teeth, whereby to permit the members to be sprung apart a distance sufiicient to disengage the teeth of the plates and members for eiiecting tiltable adjustment of the plates, while still holding the plates in pivotal engagement with said members.

5. A garment hanger comprising a slotted, elongated body progressively widened in a direction from its midlength point toward its respective ends, oblong-shaped shoulder support plates movably mounted on the body forming generally flat surfaces extending transversely of the body at its ends, and a suspension hook extending upwardly from the midlength point of the body, said shoulder support plates including trunnions on opposite ends thereof, said body including resilient back and front members having inwardly facing openings receiving said trunnions, said members being tensioned to spring inwardly toward one another so as to releasably engage the trunnions, said trunnions being adapted to mount the shoulder support plates for tiltable adjustment about axes extending transversely of the hanger at the ends thereof, said members and shoulder support plates including interlocking means for engaging the shoulder support plates in selected positions to which they are tiltably adjusted, said interlocking means comprising radial teeth formed upon the opposite ends of the shoulder support plates, and complementary nadial teeth formed upon the plate-engaging surfaces of the members, the teeth of the plat-es and members radiating from said trunnions and openings respectively, said trunnions being greater in length than the depth of the teeth, said members being sufliciently resilient whereby selectively either to permit the members to be sprung apart a distance sufiicient to disengage the teeth of the plates and members for effecting tiltable adjustment of the plates, while still holding the plates in pivotal engagement with said members, or to permit the members to become disengaged from the teeth and trunnions of the plates, whereby to permit removal of the shoulder support plates.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,413,914 Fortner Ian. 7, 1947 2,457,486 OGrady Dec. 28, 1948 2,457,776 Goldlust Dec. 28, 1948 

